


On the Precipice

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Barebacking, Daddy Kink, Dom/sub Undertones, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Phone Sex, Phone Sex Workers, Sex workers, Topping from the Bottom, Virgin!Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-26
Updated: 2013-11-26
Packaged: 2018-01-02 16:05:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1058807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: They’re both phone sex workers, and they have adjoining cubicles/desks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Precipice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rane_ab](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rane_ab/gifts).



> So. I don't really feel like I did this prompt justice agh. I had it beta-ed by four of my friends because I felt like I had messed SOMETHING up but they all said that it was fine. They pointed out a few typos, so any left over are my error.
> 
> Now, about the phone sex workers. I'm almost absolutely positive that phone sex workers work from their house or flat, on their own time, working for a company. I really never imagined people in cubicles fucking people over the phone. 
> 
> I hope you like it.

"Everyone! Everyone. I'd like to introduce you to a new operator, Merlin, who'll be working in the Gay Division. Arthur," Uther motions for his son to come up to the front of the cubicle-filled room. "Will be training him for the next two days." He waves his hand dismissively and all of the handlers swivel in their chairs and press the "Open Line" button on their phone sets, calls immediately pouring in.

Camelot Phone Sex is the largest Phone Sex company in the UK. All of the operators have individual extension numbers which clients can call. Some high class people willing to pay a bit extra can schedule appointments ranging from thirty minutes to three hours.

There are three divisions (Straight, Gay and Lesbian) and multiple subdivisions (Kinks, Fantasies, Role Play, and Vanilla). Handlers can choose as many subdivisions as they'd like to cater to and their choices are listed on the website along with their age, what they will do, and what they will not do. Clients can look up operators by varying subdivisions and things they are willing to do. Really the only rule about phone sex is that all participants must be at least 18 years old, even though the consent age is 16 for non-commercial sex.

 Today was Merlin's first day working at Camelot. Of course he knew how to _have_ phone sex, so he didn't really think the training was required.

Arthur introduced himself to the newbie, not offering a hand but waving him over to the cubicle he'd been assigned, coincidentally the one adjoining Arthur's because Cedric had just been fired for harassment.

After giving Merlin a piece of paper with all the instructions for his phone set, Arthur sat back down in his cubicle and pressed the "Line Closed" button. He didn't have any appointments today, and his regulars usual call in at the end of the day. It was hardly a quarter to eleven.

It wasn't long before Merlin's phone rang and Arthur settled into his chair, content to secretly observe how the call goes. He forgot to tell Merlin that he would only get paid if he could keep the client on the line for at least two minutes, but Arthur was sure that Uther had mentioned it

Merlin uttered a low, raspy, but clear "Hello, love." It was the exact opposite of the quiet, so few words that he had heard the man say. "Oh, yeah?" Arthur wished he could have heard what the other man is saying to Merlin.

"Well I'm just sitting here, kinda bored actually." Merlin paused then giggled seductively and said, "Do you think you can help me?"

"Well I'd much rather you let me service you. Tell me something. Something that makes you so hard you feel like you could explode." Merlin's voice sounds like molten, liquid sex in a bottle.

"Oh god. Yeah? You like that Daddy?" Merlin says the last word after a split-second pause, and Arthur can't help but peer over the edge of the adjacent cubicle wall, gawking at Merlin.

He's leant back in his chair, his legs propped up on the desk in front of him, the receiver is held tight between his cheek and shoulder, and his hands are twirling a pen around his fingers in the air. He looks so relaxed it makes Arthur envious, since he was kind of looking forward to asking Merlin how his first call went whilst the boy in question would struggle to adjust the bulge in his trousers.

Most newbies are extremely awkward on their first call and almost always get hard after the session. Merlin looks nothing but at home and anything but having a dirty phone call with some lonely pervert, and fuck if that doesn't make Arthur rage a bit.

"Let's pretend, shall we? You push me down on the bed, Daddy, and claw at my clothes while you settle on top of me, watching me as wiggle under you and try to escape, but to no avail. Are you touching yourself Daddy?" Merlin asks, his voice dripping fake innocence. After the caller answers, Merlin lets out a quiet moan, but loud enough for the man on the other line, and Arthur, to hear it. "You drag my arms up above my head I plead with you to stop, begging you, Daddy, to please let me go. Once you secure my arms to the bed frame you tear my clothes off, leaving me naked. Trembling. Sobbing."

After Merlin's monologue there, Arthur walks calmly to the privy, having to take care of a small (well, it isn't that small, he's been told) problem which decided to make itself known once the new kid started saying the _hottest shit he'd ever heard_. He's ashamed that he was  so affected so soon, and Merlin was just sitting there looking the picture of calm.

After a quick, unsatisfying wank, Arthur leans against the side of the stall and sighs.

From the short portion he's heard, Arthur can tell Merlin's pretty good. Okay, so he's really good. Arthur would even venture to say fucking brilliant. Of course there are some people who've worked here for years and have mastered the art of phone sex, but Arthur's never seen a bloke pick up the phone for the first time and talk like a sex fiend.

Most newbies start at around 93p a minute, but Merlin should start to go for more if he's really that talented.

Of course Arthur has his own technique, making polite conversation with the callers for a bit then starting to get down to business, asking them about their fantasies and their kinks and the things they like. Arthur is usually the dominant one of the phone call but he's been told he's an amazing sub when he gets in the right mindset.

Merlin it seems is naturally subservient and that's the second thing that tests Arthur's stamina, but it's mainly his voice. His voice. It's... Ragged perfection and smooth leather, and it makes him think of the sex club he used to go to, the poignant smell of sex and whiskey permanently wafting through the air.

After taking care of the small problem that made its attraction to the newbie's voice clear, Arthur rights himself and goes to look in the mirror. He pats his hair down and runs his fingers through it, trying to keep the tousled look intact. He pulls his shirt down from where it was tucked into his trousers, and splashes some water on his face. Once he's refreshed he strolls confidently back to his desk... Er.. His cubicle.

This is going to be a long day.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It's been nearly a month since Merlin first started and Arthur is more than a bit infatuated. Merlin is not only (really, very) smart, he has the best sense of humour. At first Arthur didn't quite understand it, but now he's attuned to the dark jokes.

Every morning Arthur comes in at 9:15 in the morning with two coffees, one for him and one for Merlin. Sometimes if he's feeling extra chipper, which he is more and more often since Merlin started, he'll get a couple scones and eat them with Merlin before the lines open up.

The first Monday he came since Merlin started, Arthur had gone to Starbucks, as per usual, and they had given him a free coffee, something to do with a promotion. He'd brought it in with him, planning to just drink it himself later, but Merlin had looked up, mirth sparkling in his eyes and said, his voice dripping fake sweetness and teasing, "Oh Arthur, you bought me a coffee?"

Of course Arthur knew that Merlin was only joking. But the words were out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying. "Actually. Yes. Extra cream, extra sugar. I hope it's okay." Arthur had sat it down on Merlin's desk, internally smug at how Merlin looked gobsmacked, like he hadn't expected it.

Later that day during lunch break, Merlin had walked up to Arthur where he was leant against the counter in the break room. He looked up sheepishly and had thanked Arthur for bringing him a coffee, that he really appreciated that Arthur had thought of him and that it had helped a lot, today being a Monday and all. Arthur had just nodded, revelling in the faint blush high on Merlin's cheekbones.

So, Tuesday, Arthur had walked into Starbucks and ordered a medium black tea, for himself, and a medium coffee, extra cream extra sugar, for Merlin.

It was worth the three quid in the end to see Merlin hesitantly accept the steaming cup, thanking Arthur quietly, a cute little smile at the corner of his lips.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It's been two and a half months. Everyday is torture for both Arthur and Merlin. Being forced to listen to their respective cubicle neighbour have sex through the phone, whilst trying to do the same without fucking up, is hard. No pun intended.

Earlier today Arthur had been on the phone with a scheduled regular. Gwaine is cocky and a bit too playful, but it works for him. Gwaine likes Arthur to top, verbally of course, considering they aren't physically touching. Usually Gwaine just makes comments like how big Arthur is, how full he feels. Arthur, in return, tells Gwaine what he's doing, how fast he's fucking him, where he's touching him, how tight Gwaine is, and how good he is. Arthur can tell when Gwaine is about to come: his breath hitching more often than not, whimpering into the phone until he's silent for a bit, ending with a grunt.

When he first answered the call, Arthur was expecting to talk to Gwaine for a bit, as he is wont to do, but before he could even say hello, Gwaine moaned through the phone. Arthur sighed internally. This, Gwaine calling and already wanking when Arthur picks up, happens rarely, but Arthur has learnt that it means that Gwaine wants to top, but doesn't want to talk about it, settling for Arthur dictating everything as usual.

Arthur speeds his breathing up, making sure Gwaine can hear it. He groans heavily into the receiver, hearing the flesh slapping flesh sound increase. Arthur whimpers, cutting it off with a sultry moan, getting an answering grunt in reply. "Come on, love, harder, you know I can take it- fuck! Oh, god yes, that's it. Oh, I'm so close. Can you feel me, Gwaine? Can you feel how tight I am around your throbbing cock? I can feel you inside me, taking me so hard and pounding into me. God Gwaine, I can't take much more. Come inside me. Please. I want to feel you for hours." He smiles smugly when Gwaine comes, panting into the receiver. 

Gwaine thanks him sheepishly and explains that he's just had a bad day at work and wanted to be in control for once today. Arthur and him talk for about ten more minutes, before they both say their goodbyes and hang up.

Arthur decides to get some water from the fridge in the break room, and gets up. He walks past Merlin and notices that he has zoned out, staring blankly at the grey felt wall in front of him.

"Merlin," Arthur snaps.

Merlin jolts in his chair, a surprised squeak escaping his parted lips. He spins around to Arthur, and Arthur notices he's trying subtly to shift his trousers which have a more than prominent bulge. Arthur chooses to ignore it, knowing that it happens. He asks Merlin if he wants a drink, since he's going to the lounge. Merlin slurs his words before clearing his throat and saying, "Yeah, thanks. Can I have some Irish Breakfast, if you're willing to make it?"

"Sure. I was actually talking about a bottle of water or coke, but some Earl Grey actually sounds pretty good right now."

"Ew, no way. Irish Breakfast for the win." Merlin gets up from his chair, erection forgotten and under control, and walks with Arthur to the break room.

Arthur laughs at Merlin's lameness and says, "What are you, a barbarian? Earl Grey is so much better. And with a bit of milk and a spoonful of sugar, it's a-ma-zing."

Merlin laughs, which was mainly Arthur's goal, and asks, "Can you get any more gay?"

Arthur feigns thinking about it, eventually shrugging and saying, "Probably," which earns him a giggle. He likes Merlin's giggles, they're all adorable and..stuff. They give Arthur this warm feeling in the bottom of his belly. Not the same feeling as arousal, just contentment. Like he could make Merlin giggle all day, hell probably all week, and never bore of it. He likes how Merlin's eyes crinkle and his dimples, which are always visible anyways, deepen.

Arthur fills the kettle and puts it on the hob, turning around and starting a new conversation with Merlin, wanting to hear more of that voice when it's not trying to pull an orgasm from someone.

"So," Arthur says, drawing out the word. It takes him a moment to think of something interesting to talk about, but just settles for the continuation of their last conversation. "Do you really think Kitty is the new villain? I think that they'll introduce Sebastian Moran. And I'm pretty sure that the bloke who had his gun trained on John during the last episode, right before Sherlock took the fall, is Moran, because in the stories he's a sniper. And it seems like something Moffat would do, what with him being the devil's spawn, and all."

Merlin laughs at that last comment but quickly rights himself, "Well. Now that I've given it some thought, I think that John's moustache might take over Moriarty's spot. I mean think about it: it's the perfect cover. And he's already infiltrated 221B just by living on John's lip." Merlin says all of that with the most serious expression Arthur's ever seen anyone have whilst saying something so outrageous. He blinks unwaveringly for a second before bursting out into loud guffaws, heads turning out in the main work room to look through the glass walls of the break room.

Soon Merlin can't contain his laughter and they both end up leaning over, sobbing, their stomachs hurting.

The kettle shrieks, making itself known, and Arthur immediately sobers up, well, as much as possible, and pours the boiling water into the two mugs Merlin had prepared while Arthur was talking.

Merlin takes his tea black with the bag still in, claiming his takes longer to brew or something. Arthur personally thinks that Merlin doing that should reflect poorly on him, but he can't help but like the quirk. They both sit down at the table in the middle of the spacious break room, both choosing chairs across from each other.

"What do you think of Peter Capaldi,"  Arthur asks, trying to keep the conversation going.

"He'll never replace Matt Smith. I mean come on, bow ties," Merlin says nonchalantly, like it should be obvious.

"I think it was a good choice. Benedict Cumberbatch would've been a brilliant twelve though."

This sends Merlin into a whirlwind of fanboying and squealing as he starts comparing Tennant, Smith, and Cumberbatch. Arthur leans back in his chair, putting in a comment here and there but generally staying silent and just letting Merlin's voice wash over him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Merlin's breaking. He can't take much more of the daily torture of his neighbour's voice, whether it be seductive or normal. Every single day he has to will down a raging hard on, and since (regretfully) Merlin has never had someone like that, he's even starting to get turned on by his own calls, which should be nothing if not routine by now.

Merlin observed that Arthur is the epitome of professionalism, well as professional as one can be whilst working at a phone sex company. He comes in on time every day and only clocks out when the early morning operators clock in. Arthur has been having more and more meetings with his father, and Merlin dreads to think of what they discuss so regularly.

Sometimes he uses some tricks of Arthur's he learned whilst listening to his calls when he had none of his own. Of course he only listened for educational purposes, what with Arthur being the grand master of gay phone sex. Merlin would know, he listened often enough (again, just for education).

Still, as much as he may try not to, Merlin still gets harder than diamond in a snowstorm when Arthur is on a call. Today he knew that if he had to listen to Arthur virtually fuck another twink he would break, so he took the day off. He knew his reprieve would be short because he would have to go back to work tomorrow, but he would take what he could get.

Merlin was lounging in his flat on his beat up sofa flipping through channels when the idea first came to him. Maybe if he called Arthur himself and had phone sex with him for a bit, that would get the infatuation out of his system. Yes! Merlin was a genius.

He took out his phone from his jeans front pocket and looked up the Camelot website. He hit 'search' and typed in Arthur Pendragon, finding his extension listed under his profile, 221.

He went to the keypad and dialed Camelot, laughing at the cheesy girl attempting to be seductive and giving the selections to dial. After she offered him the option to type in the extension he did so, suddenly panicking, worrying that Arthur might recognise his voice. Eventually he brushed the thought off, knowing that everyone's voice sounded different on the phone, also his phone has horrible call quality and Arthur would have to strain to recognise him.

After a few rings the phone was picked up, Arthur's sultry voice pouring into Merlin's ear, "Hello?"

"H-hi," Merlin answered timidly.

After a beat, Arthur soothed him by asking how his day was going. Merlin contemplated lying for a moment but thought better of it, truthfully telling Arthur about a guy at his work who was such a tease without even knowing it. He explained that the guy really was great and they had amazing conversations that could probably last hours after they finished it, he also admitted that he might kinda be a bit in love with the guy. Arthur paused for a second, probably not paying attention to Merlin and just zoned out, before he got back on track.

"So, do you want to control me? I can be the bloke at work and you can finally snap and just ravage me in the break room," Arthur asked lasciviously.

Merlin swallowed aimlessly, grasping at straws, not knowing how to be on the receiving end of a sex call, although that idea did sound wonderful.

Truth is, Merlin's never had sex. He's way too shy to actually have relations with real people, and it's why he's great at fucking someone through a phone.

"No. I-I kind of wanted you to hold me down and fuck me."

Arthur hissed through his teeth (He probably hit his knee under the desk or something, Merlin mused.) and growled out, "Jesus, you really like that? God I thought- Never mind. Yeah, I can totally do that for you. Are you laying down?"

Merlin got up and practically ran to his room, slamming the door and locking it so if Will got home from work he wouldn't interrupt Merlin's wank. "I am now," he said, laying down on his bed.

"What are you wearing?"

"A blue jumper, track trousers."

"Take it all off, I can't fuck you very well through your clothes."

Merlin complied, then told Arthur when he was naked.

"You weren't wearing any pants," Arthur asked, stilted.

"I was just sitting around my flat, it wasn't really necessary."

"Are you hard yet? God, I'm so hard you wouldn't fucking believe it. Are you already loose for me or am I going to have to pry you open myself?"

Merlin tried to suppress a throaty moan, but evident from the chuckle on the other end, it didn't really work. "Fuck, you've no idea I just- hnng.. Yeah you're gonna have to prep me."

"Bend your knees, your feet flat on the duvet. I need to get to your arse, god I need to get inside of it. Run your fingers down your stomach to your cock; pretend it's my fingers caressing you. Do you have lube? Good. Get your fingers nice and slick. I'd bet they just slide right in, you're so used to getting fucked constantly. Strangers in the loo, anyone you can get you'll bend over for. Are you stretching yourself? You'll probably be so bloody tight around my cock, squeezing it until I can't take it anymore, 'till I just thrust into you over and over, not caring about your pleasure, using your body for myself."

Merlin whimpered, then gasped when he grazed that little bump inside him. He didn't finger himself as often as he wanted to, since work usually left him mentally exhausted, but when he did he was a slut for it. He has a black sleek dildo that he sometimes uses when he really needs stimulation, which has happened more and more as of late, what with Arthur teasing the living daylights out of him, making him almost come in his trousers multiple times.

"God, please. Please just bloody fuck me alrea\- Ah! Oh god, oh _god_!"

"You like it so much, you're practically gagging for it, aren't you. Fuck that's so hot."

Merlin spared a moment to wonder how Arthur sounded so broken, that he never sounds like that during other calls, but shrugged it off.

"Yes. Please fuck me. God please, take me, make me yours just ugh get inside me now!"

"God how are you real? Do you have anything, a dildo or something?"

Hearing Arthur say it so bluntly makes Merlin whimper lightly, before answering. "Yes. Yes, do you want me to get it?"

"Yeah, tell me when you've got it out."

Merlin caught his phone between his ear and his shoulder and leaned over to his nightstand. He opened the bottom drawer, pulling the hand towels up and revealing a thick black phallus. He picked it up, leaving the drawer open, and brought it up onto the bed, immediately squeezing lube onto it and slicking it up. He placed it at his entrance, and grasped his phone again with his clean hand. "I've got it. Fuck, please let me."

"No. Slide only the first inch inside of you. Let all of your beautiful noises out and don't you dare hold back."

Merlin did as he was told, letting out a small mewl as the silicone first penetrated him. "More, please, more."

"Go ahead. I want to hear you, though."

Merlin slid the dildo further inside of him, choking on a groan when it finally brushed against his prostate. He rocked it in more, closing his eyes and letting the sensations wash over him. Arthur was murmuring in his ear, his voice soothing Merlin and helping the impending climax build steadily.

After fucking himself for a few minutes, Merlin was allowed, by Arthur, to stroke himself. He immediately dropped his hand down to his cock, supporting the mobile with his shoulder again.

"God , I'm gonna come. Nngh! Please, please let me come. I'm so bloody close," Merlin begged as his cock pulsed and his balls drew up tightly.

"Yes. Come for me, Merlin."

Merlin shot off like a rocket, his whole body tensing up and leaning forward off the bed for a second before his thighs started to spasm, his arms jerking, and his stomach twitching. His eyes closed, shut tightly, and he moaned loudly as the pressure on his cock was relieved when he spurted out white ropes onto his twitching lower stomach and thighs.

Merlin started slowing down his strokes, drawing out the pleasure from his softening cock. After he was too sensitive to be touched without whimpering, Merlin released himself from his grip.

He eased the phallus out of himself gently, wincing slightly when it rubbed against that spot.

He reached over with the cleaner hand and grabbed the phone. The dial tone was chiming, but Merlin was happily exhausted and couldn't be moved to care at all. His eyelids were becoming heavy, but he used the remaining energy he had left over to wipe the sticky semen off of himself with a towel from the open drawer.

He threw the soiled towel onto the ground and curled up under the sheets, slowly drifting off to sleep.

It was only when he was on the precipice of unconsciousness that he realised that Arthur had said his name.

His eyes calmed, his breathing slowed, and soon he was dreaming.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Merlin's first thought when he woke was that that was the most restful speed he had had in, what felt like, forever. His second, though, was about the call last night. He played all the dialogue that he remembered, which was about ninety-nine percent of it (you just don't forget something so epic like that so soon), over in his head until he got to the point where he was right about to come and everything blanked out for a second before coming back with striking clarity, slowly fading back to normality.

He remembered that Arthur had said something so erotic to him that he had come. Just what was it, that sensual comment that drove him over the ed-.

Oh shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. Arthur had said Merlin's name right before he came! Arthur knew it was him. But how? Merlin had never told Arthur his name, he wasn't that idiotic. But presumably Arthur recognised Merlin's voice at some point and decided to say it, knowing it would finally be his undoing.

What in god's name was Merlin supposed to do? It was- Merlin looked over at the clock on the nightstand and shrieked. 19:48 glared back at him with red eyes, undoubtedly disapproving of his almost 7 hour long nap.

He might not be able to fall back asleep at the proper time since he already caught up nearly all of his necessary 9 hours. But that was hardly the main thing Merlin was panicking about.

What would he tell Arthur? What did this mean for their friendship? Would Arthur hate Merlin? Would he look his nose down, even more than Merlin could tell he did but tried to hide it, at Merlin? Would he think Merlin pathetic for resorting to calling his friend own friend and begging him to be virtually inside of him, instead of just going out on the pull at a pub or a gay bar or something?

Maybe Merlin had just imagined Arthur had said his name, a hallucination of sorts induced by his impending orgasm. Yes. That must be it. It's the only logical explanation and it definitely seems like something Merlin's mind would do, going to such great lengths just to finally have the euphoric sense of an orgasm and the angelic relief afterwards.

Drawing this conclusion put Merlin's mind at rest and he started to do other things to get himself ready for work tomorrow. He picked out some new clothes he'd bought a few weeks ago, accommodating more for the work dress requirements. He thought they were a bit silly, considering no one important ever saw them and all that really mattered was the duration and quality of the calls.

After laying out a wine coloured button down shirt and a pair of dark grey skinny jeans, Merlin scowled down at his naked body, feeling his own dried ejaculate pulling at his thighs every time he took a step.

Deciding he had time, he went into the loo and took a long relaxing bath with incense lit all around him.

When Merlin got out it was almost 9 and he was knackered, so he went straight to bed, not even thinking about the earlier phone call. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

To say that Arthur was ecstatic was an understatement. He'd been pining after Merlin for three months, but it really felt like more than that. He walked into the lift and said to the attendant, "Four, please." The man nodded and pressed the button.  Once Arthur got off, coffees in hand, he headed straight for his cubicle and, subsequently, his neighbour.

Merlin was sitting there, back turned to Arthur, playing Spider Solitaire on the computer. He had to resist a fond chuckle, and walked up and tapped Merlin's shoulder. The seated man squeaked and jumped a bit, swivelling around in his chair to look at Arthur. Arthur smiled widely and handed Merlin one of the coffees, taking a sip of his own when Merlin took the other.

"Sorry, I wasn't really feeling up to answering a hundred phone calls over and over so I just took a day off. Did you miss me yesterday?"

Arthur was just a bit taken aback. Merlin had reverted to the playful flirting they'd had for a while now, even though it was obvious he wanted Arthur to know he really did "like him like that," to put in laymen's terms. He found it quite odd, having assumed that Merlin would be...less held back, since the Big Reveal, which Arthur had named it. He shrugged it off for now, thinking that maybe that was just how Merlin was, his natural personality.

Arthur sat down in his own chair and rolled over to where Merlin was chugging his coffee like a madman. He pushed Merlin's chair over and took over the computer, finishing the game on the screen.

It was 8:05, so they still had fifty minutes before they had to get ready for the early morning callers. Camelot was a primarily national company, catering to only clientele living within the United Kingdom, it's base in Tower Hamlets, a borough of London.

"I want to show you this hilarious video I found, plug in your headphones we can share them," Arthur commanded, looking Merlin straight in the eye. It would've been hard not to notice Merlin's pupils dilating from the order, his lips separating slightly, before turning away to comply.

Arthur went onto YouTube and typed in "grape lady falls", clicking on the second video listed. Whilst waiting for it to load, he directed Merlin's attention from his nails back to the monitor. Arthur, having seen this particular video already at least a hundred times, was content to watch Merlin's reactions.

When the news reporter fell down, Merlin's delectable lips twitched upward, but when she started making noises he burst out into loud guffaws. Arthur wasn't surprised at the reaction, he'd nearly suffocated himself laughing the first time he watched it. The only reason he showed this video to Merlin was to see his face light up with laughter and be able to take in every detail without being distracted by being the one actually causing Merlin to be laughing or beaming.

He watched fondly until the video ended and Merlin was doubled over, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

After a few moments Merlin calmed down, leant back up, and wiped a stray tear off his cheek. He looked up at Arthur, "How are you not dead?" He asked, still a bit breathlessly.

"Ever since Morgana showed me it about three years ago I've watched it enough times to not laugh. I just thought about showing it to you when I was in the queue at the café."/

"Well you shouldn't have, because now I'm going to be laughing spontaneously during calls."

"I'm sure the clients would come to appreciate your extremely high level of professionalism."

"Shut up you prat," Merlin said playfully, shoving Arthur's shoulder with the heel of his palm.

Arthur caught Merlin's hand with his, softly stroking his thumb across the hard knuckles. He smiled at the other man and leaned forward, brushing his lips against Merlin's. Hearing and feeling the sharp inhalation against his mouth, Arthur pressed more firmly. He brought his free hand up and cupped Merlin's cheek, feeling the oh-so-soft skin under his fingers.

Merlin gently pulled away after not reciprocating for a good five seconds, his eyes flicking around nervously, looking for wandering eyes. "What was that for, Arthur?"

"It wasn't for anything," Arthur said, sounding a bit confused. "I just felt like it was finally the right moment."

"What do you mean," Merlin asked naïvely.

Arthur chuckled and said, "I thought we'd gotten past all the formalities and admitting things with the call yesterday. I'll admit, it was a very original way of telling me. I quite enjoyed it."

Merlin's body tensed and he blinked rapidly. "Call? Wh-What are you talking about?"

"The _call_ , stupid. Yesterday. When you took a day off and I was left here all alone. I really did miss you. But then you called." Arthur's voice took on a quieter, lower register, "God, Merlin, I came in my trousers listening to you fucking yourself. That was the hottest thing I've ever experienced. And it was so much better knowing you knew it was me and you wanted it. Wanted me." Arthur started panting whilst he was talking, and he nuzzled his face into Merlin's neck, his lips forming words against the heated skin there.

Merlin yanked away from Arthur, bolting upright out of his chair, looking frazzled and panicked. "You weren't supposed to know it was me," he said, voice a shocked whisper. He flew out of the main room and ran into the loo.

Arthur chased after him immediately, not caring about George shouting that the lines just opened and he could get a call any second. He shouted to Eric, the main operator, to hold his calls. Arthur went into the privy Merlin had bolted into and shouted at the man at the urinal to get out, holding the door open for him as he fumbled out, and locking door behind him.

Arthur checked all the stalls and found the second to last was occupied. "Merlin?" Arthur asked tentatively.

"Go'way," came the pointed response.

"Please let me in," Arthur all but begged. "I thought it was intentional. That you called because you were too shy to tell me you fancied me in person."

"So, I was too shy to tell you to your face, but I wasn't so shy as to be able to beg for your cock over the phone?" Merlin asked sarcastically.

"If you didn't mean for me to find out then why did you call me?"

"I thought it was just a stupid infatuation. I'm horrible at choosing men and I just want to keep myself safe from the bad ones. Usually, if I'm already convinced I'm in love with a bloke after knowing him for four months, then it's almost always just another bad choice."

"You're in love with me," Arthur asked softly.

"That's not what I said!" Merlin screeched.

Arthur laid down on his stomach on the floor, trying not to think about or look down at the filth and germs that inhabit every privy, and crawled up under the stall, coming face to face with Merlin hugging his knees, sitting on the bog.

Arthur crouched down, with ample room, in front of Merlin, and said, "We haven't known each other that long, but I'm so comfortable around you and I might kind of be a bit in love with you, as well."

"But we work together, we'll get tired of one another soon enough."

Arthur leant forward, brought his hand up to cup Merlin's cheek like earlier and whispered against his lips, "I could never get tired of you."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Five months later._

Arthur just got promoted to working at Avalon, the main company of Albion Incorporated. Little do many people know, Camelot Phone Sex is a large subsidiary company owned and operated by Albion Incorporated. Uther owns the whole scheme and Arthur has been moving his way up in the ranks by working at all the companies he will inherit. The last step until he can take over Uther's position of CEO is to do his part at Avalon, a behemoth stock-broker firm. Arthur is now working at Avalon, and he's both sad and happy. He's sad because he won't get to see Merlin every single day, but he's happy because now he can have a full-on relationship with him, instead of keeping it behind closed doors like they had to do whilst they both were employed at Camelot.

Arthur's rent on his flat was up and, unlike usual, he hasn't renewed it. Today, during his weekly lunch at Camelot with Merlin, he is going to ask if Merlin would move into a new place with him. He already stays at Arthur's flat 5 days out of the week, and he has more of his possessions there than at his own flat.

Arthur's fairly confident that Merlin will say yes.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Seven months later._

The door to the flat swung open and in tumbled two grown men, tripping over their own feet in their haste to get upstairs to the main bedroom.

Arthur walked up the stairs whilst Merlin undid the buttons on his top, having already taken off his own t-shirt. Fumbling into their room, Arthur pulled Merlin on top of him when he fell down onto the bed. He crawled backwards up to the headboard, Merlin in his lap, already getting to work on unbuckling Arthur's belt.

"God you have no idea how fucking hard I get when you send me recordings of your calls," Arthur growls into Merlin's ear.

"Oh I think I know," Merlin says, squeezing Arthur's confined cock, smiling smugly at the choked gasp it elicits.

Arthur wraps his arms around Merlin's neck and brings him down for a fierce kiss. Their tongues battle for dominance in both of their mouths, and Arthur doesn't plan on losing tonight. He clutches Merlin's hips where they're grinding down onto his prick, stilling them. Merlin whines into his mouth, but Arthur knows he's not really bothered. Arthur has had a year to learn Merlin's body, and by now he can read it like a book.

With some manoeuvring and frankly erotic contortionist moves, they are both divested of all of their remaining clothes. Arthur is laying against the headboard and Merlin is still in his lap, his thighs straddling Arthur's waist.

Arthur leans up and puts his mouth up to Merlin's ear, speaking in that gravelly voice that always makes a shudder wrack Merlin's body, "I want you to ride me."

"God yes," Merlin croaks out. He leans over and picks through the nightstand for lube and a condom. When all he finds is a bottle of lube and an empty Durex box, Merlin makes a panicked noise. He rifles through the drawer again for one remaining condom, to no avail.

"What is it, love?" Arthur asks.

"We're out of bloody condoms," Merlin says like a petulant child, if children got upset over being out of condoms, that is.

Merlin slumps back onto Arthur's chest sulkily, his cheek against a hard pectoral. Arthur brings his hands up and smooths them down the curve of Merlin's spine, soothing him. "Well, I'm clean. I had to get that STD and drug test when I transferred to Avalon."

Merlin's head shoots up and he looks at Arthur inquisitively. "You- you mean. You want to fuck me. Bare?"

Arthur shrugs, "Why not? I mean, you've only ever been with me so you're clean, and I'm clean. And I certainly trust you enough to do this."

Merlin beams like Arthur just gave him Father Christmas's sleigh bells, and surges up and kisses him passionately.

With their lips still locked, Merlin puts the bottle of lube in Arthur's hand and sits up a bit so he can reach.

Arthur ends the kiss but continues to mouth at Merlin's jaw and lower until he's giving him love-nips on his neck and sucking hard enough that he's sure it will leave a livid mark. He opens the cap and squirts a dollop of the cold liquid onto his fingers, rubbing it around on his index, middle, and thumb to warm it up.

He brings his hand back behind Merlin and feels his way backwards from his perineum to the tight, secretive little furled muscle. He palpates it softly, spreading the lube around, teasing the rim the way that drives Merlin crazy.

After what feels like a lifetime, Arthur slides his fingertip into Merlin, chuckling at how his lover undulates his body back down, begging for more. He slips the first finger in, up to the second knuckle searches. He wiggles it around inside that tight velvet heat until he finds that little bump with copious nerve endings. He presses on it firmly and watches as Merlin writhes on his hand.

Arthur squeezes another finger into the loosened orifice, scissoring them apart inside his boyfriend, feeling how the muscle conforms to him, hugs him, welcomes him, needs him.

After a few minutes, Merlin is a gibbering mess. Begging and pleading Arthur to just fuck him already, trying to convince him that he's ready.

Arthur likes to draw it out as much as possible though, and he loves to see Merlin reduced to such a baser form. Animalistic. Instinctual. Right.

He finally pulls his fingers out and wipes the residual lube off on the duvet before squeezing more out of the bottle and coating his cock with it. He leans back and watches as Merlin grabs Arthur's prick in his hand, guiding it into himself slowly as he crouches over Arthur.

When he's fully inside of Merlin, Arthur grabs his hips tightly and pulls him up almost all the way off, before jacking his own hips upwards and slamming back inside the suffocating heat. Both men groan simultaneously, and Merlin's back bows just the slightest bit.

"God I can feel you. So much more now. It's like I can feel every vein and shift inside of me. I feel you throbbing inside of me. You're so huge inside of me, like you're almost splitting me open with your cock. I need more of you. Please, fuck me. Ngh! Please Arthur!"

Arthur grabs Merlin around his waist and flips them over on the bed. He grabs Merlin's thighs and lifts them so his calves are resting on Arthur's shoulders, his ankles locked behind Arthur's head.

Arthur adjusts himself inside of Merlin, then gives an experimental thrust. Merlin coos loudly, his hands scrabbling for purchase in the sheets. Arthur takes that as a sign to continue and thrusts a few more times. He fucks into Merlin faster, finally hitting right at that angle that gives his partner maximum pleasure. Merlin's eyes squeeze close and he whimpers out a weak parody of Arthur's name.

Arthur increases his speed, into Merlin's prostate with renewed vigour. He brings a hand up and runs it up and down Merlin's thigh, before reaching down and grasping the leaking cock bouncing up and down. He starts to stroke Merlin in time with the peak of his thrusts, and soon Merlin starts to convulse, his limbs trembling and his tummy spasming. White ropes spurt out of his cock, coating Arthur's hand and Merlin's lower stomach.

The walls around Arthur's cock ripple around him and he's done. He grabs Merlin's slim hips as his own jackhammer into Merlin's satiated body, seeking out his own pleasure. He feels himself pulse inside of Merlin, feels the pressure at the base of his dick decrease as he floods Merlin's arse with ejaculate. His vision becomes very heavy and leaden until a stark moment of clarity.

Now Arthur's body is slack and his muscles really refuse to support him, so he slumps to the side of Merlin's prone figure.

He'll wake up in a few hours and drag a zombie-like Merlin into the shower to wash up. Then, he'll change the sheets and fall back asleep with Merlin in his arms, like it will be every day after this.


End file.
